Book Review: Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution

As software architects, we take pride in designing scalable, elegant systems that stand the test of time. But too often, companies—and even architects themselves—become fixated on a solution or core technology rather than ensuring it actually solves a real problem.

Uri Levine, co-founder of Waze and Moovit, makes a compelling case in Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution: successful products aren’t built on cutting-edge tech alone—they succeed because they relentlessly focus on the right problem. This book is essential reading for architects who want to ensure their work delivers true impact, not just technical brilliance.

Key Takeaways for Software Architects

?? A Great Architecture Can’t Save a Bad Product – No matter how well-designed your system is, if it’s solving the wrong problem, it won’t matter. Waze’s success wasn’t due to its technology alone—it was because it solved real frustrations for drivers.

?? Don’t Let Technology Dictate the Strategy – Architects often get excited about new frameworks, cloud platforms, or AI models, but Levine reminds us that technology should serve the problem, not the other way around. If the tech drives the decision-making instead of the problem, failure is inevitable.

?? A Cautionary Tale for Architects at the Wrong Companies – Many companies get enamored with their solution or core technology and ignore user needs. If you've ever worked on a product that was “technically amazing” but had no market fit, this book will resonate deeply.

?? Crisis Management is an Architectural Challenge – The new edition (coming February 2025) introduces a chapter on Survival Mode, offering critical insights on how to adapt when things go wrong—whether it’s a collapsing market, a failed product launch, or internal turmoil.

?? Resilience Over Perfection – As Levine puts it: “It is your responsibility to solve your problems, whether it is harder due to external reasons or not.” Software architects must design for adaptability, not just ideal conditions—because businesses (and their problems) constantly evolve.

For software architects, this book serves as both a roadmap for building impactful systems and a warning about what happens when companies ignore its lessons. Whether you’re shaping the strategy for a startup or leading enterprise architecture, Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution should be on your reading list.

Watch for the new edition in February 2025!

#SoftwareArchitecture #EnterpriseArchitecture #ProductMindset #Startups #Innovation